Here are the citations in APA format: Robinson, L. (2018, February 27). Target audience interviews. Cave, W. (2018, February 27). Target audience interviews. Imangi. (2011). Temple run [Mobile game]. Unknown. (n.d.). Crazy taxi [Video game]. Hipster Whale. (2014). Crossy road [Mobile game]. dotGEARS. (2013). Flappy bird [Mobile game].

1. Research
Georgia Brown

2. Existing Product
Temple Run is an endless running game played as an app on a smartphone. My
game will be similar to this one as it will also be endless and it will get faster
the longer you play. Temple run is set in a hidden temple in a foreign land and
therefore it will be quite different to mine as mine will be set on a race track
and it will most likely be set in the UK. The angle that they use as third person
behind them watching them run is going to be how mine is set up so you can
see what is in front of the avatar and you can move them accordingly.
They have a pause button and a coin indicator bit in the top and bottom corners which are what I will
include on my screen too. The lighting is bright in the middle where the character is yet it is darker at
the sides creating the effect that off this path/wall it’s bad and you need to keep him where he is. The
costume fits in with the surroundings as he looks almost like Indiana jones who used to go to temples
in foreign countries and run away from things too. All of the vines that hang from the top of the screen
make it look scary and what it would actually look like if you were in that location. The music that plays
throughout the game fits in well with the aesthetic as it is good for running too, it gets faster which
almost wants you to keep going and get faster and it keeps you interested. There are sound effects
when he moves from side to side making him seem more realistic and you can hear the roar of the
gorillas in the background which remind you that there is a threat for the character if you don’t do well.
Its addictive as when you die people often think that they were ‘so close’ this makes them want to do it
again and again to do better every time and it keeps you playing. Also the availability to keep playing if
you use diamond makes people spend their real money as they don’t want to loose and they want a
new high score. It targets all audiences as you can play it whenever and its easy to understand.
Imangi. (2011) Temple Run

3. Existing Product
Unknown. Crazy Taxi
Crazy Taxi is a never ending game where you have to jump over
cars in order to reach the flag in a certain amount of time, then
you have to do the same again in a shorter amount of time.
The location of this game is set along a never ending highway in the dessert which similar to mine in
the fact that mine will be on a never ending race track so it will also be a long thing strip in which
you go forward yet can also move right and left. The angle that this game is from is third person
from behind so that you can see where the taxi is going and what obstacles it will need to jump
over. This will also be how I set mine up as it makes it easier to control the avatar and see the
game. There are minimal effects on this game as the main focus is the actual jumping over the cars.
Its quite light from the top and it gradually gets darker towards the bottom, this is also shown by
the shadow under each car which is pointing towards the back of the car meaning the sun would be
in front. The colour of the car is obviously yellow as American taxis are usually yellow. The music is
guitar rock which is upbeat to keep you interesting and there are sound effects when you crash and
jump to signify that something is happening. There is also a twinkling sound when you pass the flag
to show that you have moved up a level. There is a header which has your score, distance and time
left which is how you know how long you have left. I will include most of that in mine so that the
player has an indication of how well they’re doing. It gets addictive as each time you fail you think
that if you try again that you could get further and so you keep trying. You play this game on the
internet on a PC where as with my game it will be an app based product on a smartphone. This
game can be targeted played by anyone who can use a PC as it isn’t targeted specifically towards
any group.

4. Existing Product
Hipster Whale. (2014) Crossy Road
Crossy Road is an app based game which is an endless runner. This means that it goes on forever
until you fail and then you have to start again from the beginning. It is set outside on series of
constant roads with train tracks and a river going across it. This is close to mine as it will also be set
outside on track however my track will be vertical across the screen where as this one is horizontal.
There are cars and lorries always driving up and down and you have to jump across without being
hit. The angle is ariel view so you can set the avatar from above and control where it goes. It is
therefore in third person as you can see your character. Both of there attributes will be the same as
my game as you will watch my avatar from behind to see what they are ding about where they are
going. It is made using pixel art and therefore doesn’t look that realistic although you can obviously
understand what everything is meant to be. If you keep getting coins you can change what your
avatar looks like and you can also do this buy paying with real money. It is light and the objects that
shadows which means they have tried to make it look as realistic as possible. There is a sound effect
for almost every different action in the game so when you move anywhere there is a boop sound
and when you get hit there is another sound. There is also background music playing throughout to
keep you interested. The audience appeal is massive with tis game as it is so easy to use anyone can
do it yet it becomes addictive as if you just just try again you may be able to do better and then
people keep playing. It also have the option that if you pay money you can play on after you die
meaning that people keep paying to ply as they want to do really well.

5. Existing Product
dotGEARS. (2013) Flappy Bird
Flappy Bird is an endless runner sod-scroller game mainly played on smartphones.
This means that it goes on forever until you fail and then you have to start again from
the beginning. It is set in the sky however it has long green tubes of different heights
in it. In the background is a city and on the floor is green grass. The aim of the game is
to get as far as possible before dying but you have to fly between the gaps in the
green tubes without hitting anything. You get a point for each tube you fly between
and then you get a medal for getting a certain number of points You watch it from the
side angle and it is in third person so you can see your avatar, which is a bird. There
aren’t any props or costumes in the game. The sound effects used are a beep when
you go through a tube, hit a tube or the floor, et a reward and then there is the
whooshing sound when you fall fast. The game is very addictive as you can keep
paying and playing as much as you would like. The game is free and you cant buy extra
lives so people get into the mind set that if you play one more time then you can get a
better score. The screen is light but there is no shadow and so you can’t tell what time
of day it is.

6. Research Analysis
• What common features do the researched products have?
All of the games that I researched where endless runner games which means that they don’t have
an ending but just keep going forever until you fail and your avatar dies. They were all also shot
in the third person meaning that you can see the avatar and see where they are going to control
them. With the exception of Flappy Bird, all of the other games are shot from behind and slightly
above in an almost ariel view point so you can see all of the surrounds of the avatar and make
decisions based on that. Additionally all of the games that I researched have some kind of
obstacle that they have to get away from or get around, Crazy Taxi has the cars, Flappy Bird has
the pipes, Crossy Road has the cars and Temple Run has the ground he is on and the monkeys
that re constantly following him.
• What aspects of the research will you include within your own work?
I will definitely be using many of the same aspects that are found in these games, in my own
game. Firstly it will be in the third person and positioned from the back and slightly above to give
the player a good view of what they have to do to stop their avatar from dying. It will also be an
endless runner game which means that it will keep going forever until the person fails to keep
going. I also want to incorporate some kind of coin or diamond collection into the game so that
the player could possibly keep playing once they have died if they have enough coins. Buy more
items like costumes or lives and spend actual money on the game itself if they want more coins.
Another part f the research that I will include in my own game is the sound effects when you
complete a move so for example if you jump and clear what you’re jumping there is a beep or if
you get a coin or pass a level then you beep. This shows the player that they are doing the right
thing and makes them want that sound more.

7. Interviews

8. Interview 1
I am doing an endless runner game set on a (horse) racetrack.
1. Explain how I could make an endless runner game (like Temple Run) more interesting
throughout the game and why?
I would suggest adding perks/pickups into the game much like subway surfer as it makes
the game more exciting and interesting.
2. How do you think the reward system in my game should work and why?
I think the reward system should work by allowing the players to gain exclusive items as it
gives the players something to show off.
3. Do you think there should be a timed element in my game and why?
I think there should be a timed element in this game as it would make the gameplay more
intense and challenging which would encourage the player to beat their previous record.

9. Interview 1
Observation:
I think that it shows that there needs to be some kind of pick up included in the game
so that it isn’t boring and so that there is something for you to do with your character
other than to just move forward. It will also make it exciting and more worthwhile if
you get something from playing the game well.
What this says about my audience:
It shows that my audience would like to get something back in return for playing the
game even if it is in game currency. It also says that my audience would like to have an
incentive to play the game as it would keep them coming back and trying to get better
to get more rewards.
How will your product appeal to this audience:
I will have coins above each ‘jump’ or obstacle so that they do gain some kind of
currency which is appealing to my audience. I will also create a time limit between
each set of obstacles so that the game is exciting and thrilling.

10. Interview 2
I am doing an endless runner game set on a (horse) racetrack.
1. Explain how I could make an endless runner game (like Temple Run) more interesting
throughout the game and why?
This isn't an easy thing to include, but maybe have cut scenes throughout, doesn’t have to
be often. Maybe at a certain distance from the start someone/something could appear and
give some dialogue, or use a speech bubble. Its an interesting way to make people want to
go further and try and beat their previous distance. Again not easy to implement.
2. How do you think the reward system in my game should work and why?
I would say maybe it could be like collecting coins, or some other in-game currency. You
could then have it so people could by skins/costumes for the character/horse. Maybe a
companion, just something to work towards. Also a good use of the reward system could be
something like a daily spin, with a chance to get either small, medium or lager amounts of
that currency. This would give people the incentive to keep coming back.
3. Do you think there should be a timed element in my game and why?
Yeah I think so, it would be a great way to include some kind of competiveness to it. Maybe
even have a leader board with either random people or friends on it. This would again make
people want to keep playing.

11. Interview 2
Observation:
I don’t actually like the idea of cut scenes as this character doesn't have a life or a
backstory it is simply a racing horse and therefore I don’t want to include that in my
game. Also if it was limit sensitive I don’t think that I could include that as it would
waste time and wouldn’t fit in with the play of the game. I could perhaps put this as an
extra if people wanted to watch it or it could play before the game starts but with an
option to skip if a player has seen it before.
What this says about my audience:
This again shows that the audience want some kind of currency and reward to keep
them interested. Additionally the idea of a daily spin is great as it would keep players
coming back. It shows that my audience get committed to games and that if follow
some of this advice I could create a game that people play religiously.
How will your product appeal to this audience:
I will add in rewards and coins for specific parts of my game and if I have enough time
and the ability I will create a ‘daily spin’ kind of asset so that my audience and players
repeatedly come back and play my game.

12. Bibliography

13. Bibliography
1. Robinson, L. (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on 27.02.18).
1. Cave, W. (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on 27.02.18).
2. Imangi. (2011). Temple Run.
3. Unknown. (Unknown). Crazy Taxi.
4. Hipster Whale. (2014). Crossy Road.
5. dotGEARS. (2013). Flappy Bird.